I was sent this email and thought it was brilliant.
Put me in charge . . .

Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of food stamp cards; no cash for
Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans,
blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want
steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women
Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test
recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and
piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get
tats and piercings, then get a job.

Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks?
You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your
"home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be
inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your
own place.

In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or
you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of
trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We
will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo
and speakers and put that money toward the “common good..”

Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of
the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.. Before
you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem,"
consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for
doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least
attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system
rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.

AND While you are on Gov’t subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is
correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will
voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov’t
welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.

And BTW, the food stamp thing would never work because the industry lobbiests have Congress in their pocket. Funny how we hate poor people but not the rich one's who pay Congress to make laws taking away our rights.

but please explain how federal spending cuts target poor people? Rich people don't exactly use the majority of services... while I would guess that poor people do. It is only logical then, if you are a heavy user of federally funded programs, you should have to make a sacrifice when cuts are needed, but if you paying your own way and were responsible in either planning for the future, worked or hard, or your parents did so, why should you be penalized?? You are paying your own way? Are you saying that the rich people should be penalized and pay for the way of the poor? What ever happened to the incentive to do good, work hard, and plan for your future? With that rationale you are promoting failure instead of success. It is very similar to the way this country rewards employees with unemployment benefits, while it does not reward or have a safety net for business owners (the people who create jobs). In my world, the small businessman gets unemployment insurance, so he can get back on his feet, start another company, and employ more people, not the employee.

You should not take away the incentive to succeed and reward failure.... at least that is what I think along Ayn Rand...

My grandma never cashed a SS, medicare, or any other kind of check, she said she didn't to.

Hmmmm, kind of missed my point. I agree that food stamps should only be used for basically unprocessed food, but the food industry is what would stop the govt from enacting such legislation. That's how rich people use govt services. By buying laws. I'd rather give a govt dollar to a poor person than to a lawmaker, or even a lot of govt employees.

And what's with your Grandma not cashing a SS check? Did she also give her savings to the govt? Are you suggesting that the people who contributed 12% of their salary all their life would be a better person if they refused to cash their SS check? Or that your grandma was stupid?

Hmmmm, kind of missed my point. I agree that food stamps should only be used for basically unprocessed food, but the food industry is what would stop the govt from enacting such legislation. That's how rich people use govt services. By buying laws. I'd rather give a govt dollar to a poor person than to a lawmaker, or even a lot of govt employees.

And what's with your Grandma not cashing a SS check? Did she also give her savings to the govt? Are you suggesting that the people who contributed 12% of their salary all their life would be a better person if they refused to cash their SS check? Or that your grandma was stupid?

She had lots and lots of money when she died... she came from Sweden with a bastard child in the oven, with nothing but $40 in her pocket. She didn't take anything from anyone unless she felt she earned it. She always thought she was responsible for herself and that the government didn't have any obligation to her. She was a hardcore libertarian and passed those same values to my mom and uncle. When she was old she tried to give me and my sister her government checks for college, but we declined also. She gave over 50% of her net wealth to charity before she died.

She had lots and lots of money when she died... she came from Sweden with a bastard child in the oven, with nothing but $40 in her pocket. She didn't take anything from anyone unless she felt she earned it. She always thought she was responsible for herself and that the government didn't have any obligation to her. She was a hardcore libertarian and passed those same values to my mom and uncle. When she was old she tried to give me and my sister her government checks for college, but we declined also. She gave over 50% of her net wealth to charity before she died.

So the point of your story is that if we all work as hard as your Grandma, we'll have lots and lots of money when we die? And we won't need the SS so even though we paid for it, we'll give it back to the goverment? Why not give the lots and lots of money to the govt? Why just the SS we paid into?

^Sam, if she worked for a substantial amount of time and contributed her fair share to SS, you realize that she and your family were basically declining her own money. So what if it had US Govt stamped on it? If you paid in, I don't see how it is anymore Libertarian to decline your own money.

I think it's comical you attack the poor in your political stance. Do you not realize that there are many middle class and rich people that take advantage of the "system". The only difference is poor people put that money right back into the economy, whether they are buying steaks, hoho's, or Cheetos. The rich that take advantage of the system are usually embezzler's, and the US will not see a lot of that money. For example, how much did Enron collapsing cost the US?

I didn't attack poor people, you chose to interpret it that way. That is my entire point, how does reducing government spending target poor people?? If you believe in the legal system, then the cheaters of society are already penalized...

For you guys to call my grandmother stupid takes some balls... she was born in 1894 and didn't buy in to the New Deal. She was brought up to stand on her own two feet, to be accountable for herself, and to never take from someone or something when she didn't feel that it was owed to her. She thought that since she didn't need the money and since it was taken out years before it was not owed to her now. In her mind she thought the United States of American payed her in full with the opportunity to become successful, raise her family, and give to others whatever she could, whenever she could.

Shouldn't those that TAKE the most be willing to give up their fair share in the form of reduced entitlements and government programs across the board? Just because a person is successful does not mean that they took the most to get that way. I know the idea might be foreign to some, but some people worked their ass off, planned ahead, and made something of themselves from the sweat of their brow, blood of their body, and by sacrificing part of their soul. My grandfather on the other side of the family worked at International Harvester (Farmall) from age 16 till 67 and worked a farm with his brother all with one gimpy hand, he did it for his 13 kids and was proud to do so.

But I relent in my discussion and preaching, because I doubt you actually believe differently than I do, but we are just having a misunderstanding in this discussion. I must be a poor writer and lack the ability to succinctly put my ideals to text..

The article you posted targets the poor. It's not the poor's fault that healthcare costs are so high that we need to sterilize them. It's not that I want to give out lots of welfare, but I don't see the point in such an article except to ridicule the poor for their burden on society. Apparently the person that would be in charge has a very narrow idea of what needs to be done.

"some people worked their ass off, planned ahead, and made something of themselves from the sweat of their brow, blood of their body, and by sacrificing part of their soul."

So unless you are wealthy, you must be a failure?? Because there are many people that worked their ass off, planned ahead, and made something of themselves (at least to their family anyways) from the sweat of their brow, blood of their body, and by sacrificing part of their soul, and died owning only the clothes that they are being buried in. And there are some people that did much of nothing, planned poorly, were complete scumbags, wouldn't piss on their mom if she was on fire, and sacrificed only their soul to the devil and were pretty successful people financially. I guess I am not following you.

"some people worked their ass off, planned ahead, and made something of themselves from the sweat of their brow, blood of their body, and by sacrificing part of their soul."

So unless you are wealthy, you must be a failure?? Because there are many people that worked their ass off, planned ahead, and made something of themselves (at least to their family anyways) from the sweat of their brow, blood of their body, and by sacrificing part of their soul, and died owning only the clothes that they are being buried in. And there are some people that did much of nothing, planned poorly, were complete scumbags, wouldn't piss on their mom if she was on fire, and sacrificed only their soul to the devil and were pretty successful people financially. I guess I am not following you.

Again, I have done a very poor job writing... somehow you associated my notion of being successful with having money, is that your definition of success or wealth? I only ask because you only seem to see the worst in me and seem to think I am so shallow that I can't see otherwise. My grandfather died a very poor man by many people's definition. He died a very happy man though, he was able to raise his kids and give them many, many things that he did not have. He was proud to raise twelve boys and a girl and to know that he did the best he could for them. He taught them all the values that he thought were important.

Again my point is that at one time in our society it was dishonorable to take from others, something that you did not earn. It use to be embarassing to get food stamps, live in section 8 housing, etc... now for some people in our society it is good thing to live off the Teet of the People. It was cool to live in a FEMA trailer for years and years. It is cool to get food stamps and have an X-Box and a plasma... My example of my grandmother was an example of the extreme opposite; right or wrong she thought it was shameful to take money from the government when she didn't need it.

Fun story... The first grandma that I talked about above married another Swede. They met when he came through on a threshing crew. When it was time for them to get married and get a house he had very little money. He went to the government surplus auction and bought two old military barracks and joined them together to make their house. They lived in that same house the rest of his life. My mom crew up in that house, she is 69, and didn't have running water until she went off to college! She used an outhouse all through high school, which would have only been about 50 years ago! Those old Swedes were TIGHT as can be! I guess this also explains why I'm such a Hill-Billie!

But that's another story! The first grandfather I talked about above was Irish (the hardcore drunken kind), does anyone know where the term Hill-Billie comes from? It comes from all the protestant Irish people who moved to the hills of Appalachia after the Civil War. Protestant Irish in Ireland fought for and supported King William or Billie (protestant); therefore, Irish in the hills of Appalachia were called Hill-Billies, or Billies Boys, they also were known by their red scarves they wore around their necks for the Order of the Orange (Protestant Irish Organization) and were subsequently called "Red Necks". So you could say I have Hill-Billie on both sides of the family...

I'm sorry that I am such a poor writer, I'm practicing though, and don't wish to fight with people of similar concern and belief.

There are lots of people working the system. Were there lots of people working the system 10 20 30 50 years ago? Probably. Were they as visible then? No. People like those idiots complaining about heating bills with the plasma tv in the background make much more interesting news than joe shmoe working 2 jobs to put food on his family (sic). Could welfare be cut back some and should it? Probably. Could corporate welfare be cut back some and should it? Probably.

I have no dog in this fight nor do I care to, but I do like learning things and I like history so thank you Sam for sharing that story/history behind the origin of rednecks/hillbillies. Quite interesting.

Sent with my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typos.

I have no dog in this fight nor do I care to, but I do like learning things and I like history so thank you Sam for sharing that story/history behind the origin of rednecks/hillbillies. Quite interesting.

Sent with my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typos.

LOL... hard to tell if it is actually true or not, but that is what Grandpa told me...

My grandmother and grandfather on my dad's side immigrated from Sweden to Chicago in the late 1800's. My dad would be 100 if he were alive today. Never knew them as they died when my dad was fairly young.